Animal trap



Sept. 15, 1925. 1,553,536 A C. E. IRVINE ANIMAL TRAP Filed May 14. 1923z sheets-smet 2 fao Patented Sept. 15, 1925,

QATHERINE E. IRVINE, or WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA.

ANIMAL TRAP.

Application med Nay'14g19231 serial No. 638,936.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, yCATHERINE E. IRVINE, of Winnipeg, in the Provinceof Manitoba, Ganada., have invented certain new and useful Improvementsini'Animal'Traps; and I do hereby declare the following *Kto-be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in thejart towhich it appertains toA make and use thesame. f

The invention lrelates to improvements in animal traps andan objectI ofthe invention is to provide a humane trap which will catch the animalwithout harming it in any way, and to construct the trap so that it canbe readily set, is positive in'its action, so designed that there is nopossibilityfof the animal getting away when it is being caught or afterit has been'caught,nor harmed during ,the trapping action.

A further object of the invention isto construct .a particularlysensitive trap lin a strong and durable manner and one which can bereadily manufactured atcomparative- 2" ly small cos i V' Figure 1 is aplan view in the set position. Figure 2 is an end'view in the closedposition. Figure 3 is an end-view in the set vposition. "Figure, 4 isl adetailed vertical sectional view transversely and vcentrally through thetrap. r y f The body of the trap, which is stationary,

Y comprises an elevated plate or platform 1 carried by suitablypositioned corner legs 2 of equal length extending upwardly from a baseplate 8. The eleva-ted plate is somewhat shorter in length than the baseplate to allow for the placing on the base plate of vertically disposedpairs o f stationary tubular guides each end of the base plate entirelyclear of the ends of the elevated plate. The pairs of guides receivevertically disposed pairs of spindles 5 and to the upper ends of thepairs of spindles,'I secure permanently crossheads 6, the crossheadsbeing fitted at their ends with rollers 7 the rollers being mounted onthe inner sides of the cross heads.

springs 8 are placed around `the spindles, and

4L there being a pairof the/guides located at Coil tubular guides. 4,having their lower endsv engaging with the base plate. and their upperends against the cross heads at theirv vpoints yof connection with thespindles.

These springs are at all times under compresslo VCentrally and to theends of theelevated plate l, I secure permanently opposed angle.brackets 9k and to the vertical arms of the brackets I attach pivotallythe ends of a pair of jaw-like'arms 10 which are adapted tocloseytogether when brought to the ver-Y tical position. The jaws aresuitablyfreinforcedand extend in the vertical'position considerablyabove the cross heads 6. It will be observed that the jaws are sopositioned that theyjust nicely clearthe inside faces of the crossheads.

To the jaws I securepermanently pairs'of cam plates 11, the cam plateseach presentingv .an inclining edge 11a which engages and rides over theadjacent roller7 of the cross head.' f

By properly designing and placing' the parts it willv be'. apparent thatthe springs acting on the cross headsand lthrough the rollers and cams:will normally maintain the Y `jaws closedy and iny t-heverticalpositionand ythat the opening action of the jawsvis freslstedbyfthesprings, the resistance increasing as the jaws `approach the horizontalposition.

` As appropriate means for actuating the structuredescribed I providethefollowing parts. Centrally of the elevated plate I locate a baitplate 12 which is carriedby an arm 13,the arm being pivotally secured toa vertical post 14 fastened centrally to the side of the elevated plate.The arm is fitted with a catch or hook15 which is adapted to be engagedin the set position ofthe bait plate with a spring pressed latch 16. Thelatter arrangement is such that the latch' spring 17 up-presses thelatch land, holds it caught in the catch where it remains until the baitplate is released by downward pres.

sure.

. Directly underneath the bait plateand in a positionsuch thatthey willbe struck by the downwardv moving bait plate I locate the .inner ends-Qf a .Par,-.lf riveted normally.

inner sides thereof I form lockingrecesses constitutingstops QQandthese.` are adapted to lpass beneath the outer ends of the settings'rods inthe open or horizontal position ofthe Vjaws andv lock thejaws in such open position.

Betweenthe .jaws and the elevated plate I locate a flexible bag likenetting. 23 which when the jaws are closed forms a. bag .in which theanimal is caught.

The netting will be preferably formed from lsteel wire soi that it canbe positively relied upon to holdthe entrapped animal and it will havetobe designed to give suflicient fullness to contain the animal without4injury when the trap isclosed.

Vthen one-wishes to set thetrap he preferably makes afsmall pit 24 inthe ground vto receive the base plate, the pit being,v deep enough tobring theelevatedplate to ground level. I-Ie then catches the aws andfspreads them' until theyv come to the liorizfontalposition, in whichposition he' holds themy until he sets the bait plate. He. then sets the.triggers byY out. pressing, the collars 21 to pass the outer ends of.the settin'grrods 19"over their stops. As the setting rods go out`theoute'r'ends: offt'he triggersy drop do'wn and". so soon as .onereleases his finger pressure from the collars the/inner ends of thesetting rods pressy against the outer ends' of the triggers "and holdvthem in set position,

v while the outer ends of the setting rods positively lock the' crossheads' against anyy up movement.`

Having so set t-heVVV trap one places the bait on the bait pan andscatters twigs or leaves over the bottom of the trap, as is customarypractice, so as not to make the animal suspicions.

' Itwill be observed that in the set condition the springs Aare heavilyrcompressed and very active, withthe result that just as soon as theanimal presses upon the bait plate the jaws close over: the top of theanimal and entrap him in the mesh-like bag. It vwill be appreciated thatthe use of a pair of spaced vertically guidedsliding spindles 5 for'supporting each crosshead G'furnishes a positive' guiding means for thesame when the Vtrap is sprung and'also provides va very ee'ctiveauxiliarysupportl for the jaws l()V when in closed position. Thus -ananimal after having been caught in the trap will cally movablecrossheads to ei'i'gagev said jaws, vertically movable supports foreachof said cross-heads, gui-ding means for said supports, and springcontrolled means to actuate saidv cross heads.

2. In an vanimal trap, a supportingjplata anglebrackets' on the ends ofsaidjp'late', .a pair of jaws pivoted on said brackets,'cam plates onsaid jaws, vertically movable cross headsto move' said. jaws and havingrollers to engage said cam surfaces, and spring controlled means toactuate said cross heads.

3. Inv an animal trap, a' p it and a trap adapted to rest. within saidpit and lie flush with the ground surface, said .trap having ay base toliev upon rthe bottom of the pit, tubular guides mounted on said base,spindles movable in said guides and normally extending through said baseand the' bottom 'of ythe pit, cross heads mounted on the tops of-said4spindles, springs coiled upon said guides and bearing against said baseand saidcross heads, a pair of pivotally mounted jaws lying flush withthe ground' surface when the; trap? isset and each lcarrying wire meshcage surfaces, said' jaws adapted for closing movement byl said cross'heads', a baitv device, and means operated by the movement of: saidtbait device for' releasing said cross heads 'and closing said'jaws.

4; In' an animal trap, [the combination with a plate having anglebracketsat its ends, of a pair ofjaws pivoted to said brackets, andspringl actuated cross' heads for' closing said jaws, of rods mounted onsaid plate and extending through said brackets, mechanism normallyholding said rods in position to restrain said cross heads, and a baitdevice' adapted upon movement to release said mechanism". v

5. In an animal trap,` a supportingplate,

a pair of jaws pivoted to said plate, said.

jaws having outwardly directed cam portions formedthereon andincreasing'in'depth inthe direction' Iofthe upper ends thereof,vertically n'iovable members coopera'ble" with said cam portions forclosing said jaws, and

spring' co-ntrolledf'means foractuating said movable members; f

6.1n an animal trap, the combination With pla-te for holding said rodsin position to a plate having angle brackets at its ends, restrain saidcross heads, and a bait device of a pair of jaws pivoted to saidbrackets, adapted for movement to release said pivoted 10 and springactuated cross heads for closing GIGIHGHS- 5 said jaws, of springactuated rods'mounted In testimony WhereofI have signed this on saidplate and extending through said SPeClfCatlOIlbrackets, pivoted elementscarried by said CATHERINE E. IRVINE,

